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PASEO BORICUA ¡LIBERTAD PA’ OSCAR!
Feb. 2016 • Vol. 13 No. 2- Our 13th Year
CONG. GUTIÉRREZ
reta en hemiciclo
Congreso EEUU:
“libera
Puerto Rico”
P.5
Presentación:
CHARLA/FORUM ON:
• Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Crisis,
• Campaign to Free Oscar López Rivera
• Creating a Puerto Rican Rican National Agenda
• Towards Puerto Rican National Summit, Phila. July 24, 2016
with
CONG. LUIS V. GUTIÉRREZ AND
CHICAGO’S PUERTO RICAN ELECTED OFFICIALS P.9
Carlos Claudio: A New Kind of Judge
Justice from the
Community, for
the Community P.6
Can Bread And Puppet’s #freeoscarlopez
Play Get Obama To
Page
TweetBackReaches
Pardon A Jailed
Unprecedented
Puerto Rican Activist? P.13
El Canto
del Baramaya
por Aracelis Flecha Figueroa
y
Recepción:
Aracelis Flecha Figueroa
en apoyo
P.7-9
Fundación
Nancy Franco Maldonado P.15
Scan the QR Code with your smart
phone & visit our website.
WWW.LAVOZ-PRCC.ORG • [email protected] • FREE/GRATIS • BILINGUAL/BILINGÜE
URBANTHEATER COMPANY:
Nancy Franco Maldonado
Boricua-Latino:
Showcases Award Winning
Playwright in Humboldt Park
“Adoration of the Old Woman”
P.4
by José Rivera
Vota en las Primarias
Martes, 15 de Marzo, 2016
Join Us! 34 Women X Oscar- CHI
Sat, February 27, 2016 • 3pm • Intersection Milwaukee, Logan & Kedzie Boulevards
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
2
FEBRUARY 2016
Puerto Rican Cultural Center briefs
COMMUNITY AS A CAMPUS
YOUTH QUEST FOR EMPOWERMENT (CAACYQE) AFTER
SCHOOL
PROGRAM LAUNCHING AT
BATEY URBANO MARCH 2016!
by Janeida Rivera,
CAACYQE Program Corrdinator
The Puerto Rican Cultural Center is excited to
launch a new After School Program at Batey Urbano, 2620 W. Division St. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays from 3:30PM - 5:30PM beginning
March 1, 2016. CAACYQE will provide education
on teen pregnancy, HIV/STI prevention, as well as
academic support and tutoring, participation in
service learning/civic engagement, service learn-
La Voz del Paseo Boricua
Newspaper
La Voz del Paseo Boricua reserves the right
to publish at its discretion. [email protected]
STAFF: PRCC Volunteers
SOBRE LA VOZ:
La más reciente manifestación del periodismo puertorriqueño en Chicago,
La Voz del Paseo Boricua continúa orgullosa del legado de nuestros primeros periódicos. Fundado en 2004, La Voz del Paseo Boricua, o ‘La Voz’ según
se le conoce cariñosamente por nuestros lectores, es un periódico de pueblo, publicado de manera bilingüe por el Centro Cultural Puertorriqueño Juan
Antonio Corretjer. Mensualmente, divulga historias relevantes de nuestra
comunidad, diseminando noticias sobre acontecimientos, programas, recursos, y progresos locales. Como fuente alternativa de medios, intentamos
reconocer los logros de la comunidad puertorriqueña al igual que abogar
por la preservación del corazón de nuestro barrio en el parquede Humboldt
– nuestro “pedacito de patria” en Chicago.
ABOUT LA VOZ:
The most recent manifestation of Puerto Rican journalism in Chicago, La
Voz del Paseo Boricua proudly continues in the legacy of our community’s
previous newspapers. Founded in 2004, La Voz del Paseo Boricua, or simply
‘La Voz’ as affectionately called by our readers, is a grassroots bilingual
periodical published by the Juan Antonio Corretjer Puerto Rican Cultural
Center. We report on stories relevant to our community on a monthly
basis, disseminating news about local events, programs, resources, and
developments. As an alternative source of media, we seek to acknowledge
the achievements of the Puerto Rican community at large and advocate for
the preservation of the heart of our barrio in Humboldt Park - our “pedacito
de patria” in Chicago
ing project assistance and gift card
incentives for program completion.
Participant Requirements:
Male and Female students must live
on Chicago’s North West Side (Humboldt Park – Target Area) or attend a
Humboldt Park high school.
Be between the ages of 14-18.
Parental Consent
Pre and Post teen pregnancy prevention knowledge, based on All4You! Curriculum as a basis for the program evaluation.
For more information contact: Janeida Rivera, CAACYQE Program Corrdinator at [email protected] or
312-536-6565.
“CURIOSITY KILLED
THE CAT, DON’T LET
IT KILL YOU”
The Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV) and the Hepatitis-C Virus
(HCV) can be silent killers. Those two
viruses can have no symptoms and
those who have contracted the virus
might not have any external signs of
infection. If curiosity strikes you and
you want to know if you might have
contracted an infection then don’t
wait and get tested. There are also
some Sexually Transmitted Infections
(STI’s) that might not have any symptoms. For testing at Integrated Paseo,
call 773-278-6737.
ALTERNATIVE GIFTS
INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION
DONATES TO
EL RESCATE
by Jackie González,
Program Director, El Rescate
El Rescate Transitional Living Program wants to express our gratitude
to Alternative Gifts International Organization for continuing to support
our youth.
“El Rescate Transitional Living Program depends greatly on community partnerships to be able to do our
work, particularly at this time given
the State of Illinois budget impasse.
This week we received a wonderful
visit from Mr. Tony Princ, Executive
Director of Alternative Gifts International, a non-profit organization that
inspires support for humanitarian and
environmental causes. They offer donors the option to designate charitable gifts through carefully selected
agencies in the name of their relatives, friends and associates. Mr. Princ
was accompanied by Mr. Brainmah on
their visit to our facility (Program). We
were presented with a kindhearted
donation and on behalf of El Rescate
Transitional Living Program residents
and staff, I would to like express our
gratitude to Alternative Gifts International Organization for supporting
our youth.”
VIDA/SIDA
REPRESENTS PRCC
@CREATING CHANGE
CONFERENCE
by Pedro Mercado, VidaSIDA
This past weekend, PRCC-Vida/
SIDA’s very own Pedro Mercado, Milani (Gustavo Varela), Maya
Lozano, & Maritxa Vidal, were able
to represent PRCC at the annual
Creating Change Conference. Being the largest LGBTQ conference
in the United states, Vida/SIDA
was honored to work along with
Union=Fuerza Latino Institute as
a community partner. They spoke
with community leaders from all
across the country attending the
Conference. Dialogues took place
regarding the work being implemented in the Latin@ Community
of Chicago. By engaging in workshops, seminars, and plenaries, our
staff will be able to implement
new strategies to the programs
at PRCC-Vida/SIDA. They were
also able to network with other
activists and have been invited to
participate in future conferences
and trainings. The conference is
scheduled to take place next year
in Philadelphia.
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
FEBRERO 2016
3
Students at Albizu Campos are
Mastering Mathematics on Khan Academy
by Diamond Montana, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High
School
Many students in our community feel that they just aren’t good
at math. They think intelligence is fixed, but it isn’t. The brain is like
a muscle: the more you use it, the more it grows.
To help our students realize they they can learn anything, our Escuelita is participating in LearnStorm. Powered by Khan Academy,
LearnStorm is a nine-week challenge where students can earn recognition for themselves and their school by mastering math skills
and building a growth mindset.
Last week, our school had students received eight points for Mastery and 11 points for their Hustle. Students earn mastery points
by mastering math skills at their level on Khan Academy. Hustle
points are designed to reward students who push themselves to
keep learning, no matter what their level. Students earn hustle
points by taking on challenging skills and working hard to complete
them. With our students’ hard work and us to encourage them, we
can even receive a special trophy to commemorate our students’
achievement! Let’s go Puerto Rican High School!
Albizu!! CAMPOS!!
El Congresista
Luis V. Gutiérrez
y
El Centro Cultural Puertorriqueño,
Juan Antonio Corretjer
Le brindan la bienvenida al
Paseo Boricua al Distinguido Letrado
Lic. Noel Colon Martínez
Sábado, 12 de marzo 2016
Casa de Don Oscar y Doña Blanca
2628 W. Division St., 3-4:30pm
RSVP Viola Salgado, [email protected]
The Puerto Rican Agenda keeps pressure on CHA to
address lack of Latino equity and representation
by Cristina Pacione Zayas, Puerto Rican
Agenda
As a follow up to the November convening
with CHA CEO Eugene Jones, over 30 Puerto
Rican Agenda members, Aldermen Proco Joe
Moreno and Milagros Santiago continued to
press the second largest public housing authority in the United States for concrete steps and
a timeline to remedy the dismal Latino participation rates and representation in all facets of
the entity last Saturday, February 6. The discussion comes on the heels of an unprecedented
turnout for a community hearing earlier on the
week with over 200 stakeholders regarding the
future of Lathrop Homes and will lead up to
a historic City Council hearing next Wednesday, February 17, on the “Keeping the Promise”
ordinance ensuring greater accountability and
transparency in the CHA.
In addition to discussing strategies to address the affordable housing crisis, Agenda members
were briefed on the upcoming Local School Council
elected parents, community members, and
teachers charged with principal selection and
evaluation and approving the school budget
and improvement plan.
Lastly, the Agenda secured commitments
from community leaders to mobilize the
base to attend an upcoming charla/forum on
Friday, March 4, 2016 at ASPIRA High School
(2989 N. Milwaukee) starting at 7:00 p.m.
with Congressman Luis Gutierrez and Chicago
Puerto Rican elected officials on Puerto Rico’s
Fiscal Crisis;
-Campaign to release the longest held
Political Prisoner in the history of Latin
AmericaUS relations, Oscar López Rivera;
-National Puerto Rican Agenda; and
-2016 Democratic National Convention
(LSC) elections on April 13 and 14, 2016 and the importance of a significant community turnout. LSCs are sitebased school management teams comprised of locally
Join us for this critical conversation regarding the future of the Puerto Rican diaspora. (See ad on
page)
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
4
FEBRUARY 2016
UrbanTheater Company
Showcases Award Winning Playwright in Humboldt Park
“Adoration of the Old Woman” by José Rivera
by La Voz staff
UrbanTheater Company’s 10th anniversary season is off to a promising and exciting start! UTC has transformed their new home at Batey Urbano, thanks to the
Puerto Rican Cultural Center converting Batey Urbano into a charming and welcoming storefront theater. In their second decade, UTC will continue to bring “the
streets to the stage” making professional theater accessible to the community of
Humboldt Park. Last weekend, the opening of José Rivera’s “Adoration of the Old
Woman” premiered and was received with standing ovations by sold out audiences. On Wednesday, February 17th, UTC presented a powerful and riveting concert
reading of “School of the Americas,” also by Rivera. UTC had the honor of hosting
Mr. Rivera during his brief visit to Paseo Boricua. The reading was made possible in
partnership with Goodman Theatre’s Celebration of Latina/o Artists. UTC is committed to showcasing Latina/o playwrights and actors in works that explore and
illustrate Latino life and history. If you have yet to experience a production by
UTC, make sure to catch “Adoration of the Old Woman.” Support Latino theater!
Runs until March 13th at 2620 W. Division St. Thursday-Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Teatro Thursdays Dinner + Performance special available. For tickets
visit: UrbanTheaterChicago.or or call (312) 767-8821. Photos by Anthony Aicardi
Celebrating 10 years
UrbanTheater in Humboldt Park
by Eduardo Arocho
The Urban Theater Company of Chicago
has been making high quality and intensely
passionate theater in Humboldt Park since
they started doing theater 10 years ago. Under the leadership of Executive Director Ivan
Vega, this company of hard working actors/
support crew is able to work together so professionally and cohesively that they leave
their audiences energized by their performances. They are a company that has been
challenging themselves with both producing
works by renowned Latino writers and honoring the history and culture of their surrounding community.
This is a well-seasoned company that has
mastered the art of melodrama and humor
to articulate and present political and controversial
material. Such is the selection for this season’s run with
Adoration of The Old Woman by José Rivera. Rivera, a
star playwright whose play, Another Word For Beauty
was featured at the Goodman Theater early this year.
Directed by Juan Castañeda, this production of Adoration of The Old Woman comes at the most apropos
to illustrate this issue with another layer of intimate imagery, a haunted bed. The Old Woman (Nydia Castillo) is tormented by a restless
ghost named Adoración (Melissa DuPrey),
between them a secret which is the source
of their conflict, is eventually unraveled with
the unwitting help of the Old Woman’s Great
Granddaughter Vanessa (Debbie Baños). In
the end this play, filled with raunchy humor
and compassionate tears, makes room for
redemption to prevail. Not only between
Adoración and The Old Woman but also with
the struggles of the colony of Puerto Rico.
time. With Puerto Rico currently in the mist of a “Fiscal
Crisis” of catastrophic proportion, this play addresses
one of the root causes of this current conundrum with
the extremely important, yet greatly veiled issues of
the ambiguous political status of Puerto Rico in relation
to the United States.
Of course Jose Rivera uses his magical realist crafting
ADORATION OF THE OLD WOMAN
February 12 – March 13, 2016
Box Office: (312) 767-UTC1; (312) 767-8821 or
http://urbantheaterchicago.org
Performance Venue: UrbanTheater Company at Batey
Urbano, 2620 W. Division St., on the Paseo Boricua in
the heart of Humboldt Park (newly renovated)
Performance Times: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 3
p.m. Sundays
FEBRERO 2016
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
Cobra fuerza Luis Gutiérrez y exige
libertad para Puerto Rico
El demócrata rechazó que la junta de control fiscal
sea la solución.
El congresista demócrata Luis Gutiérrez envió un
mensaje contundente al gobierno federal, donde exigió que libere a la Isla y desfavoreció la creación de
una junta federal de control fiscal.
Las expresiones fueron vertidas en el hemiciclo de
la Cámara de Representantes de Estados Unidos, en
un espacio que sirvió a Gutiérrez para expresar su sentir sobre el futuro del País.
En su mensaje de poco más de cinco minutos, Gutiérrez habló de varios temas, entre los que se encuen-
deuda del País y solicitó atención seria para encontrar
el camino para que el país “no sea ni absuelto de sus
obligaciones ni herido mortalmente por ellas”.
Criticó también que “Puerto Rico está siendo asfixiado por la Ley Jones – una ley aprobada aquí en esta
sala sin ningún tipo de consulta con el pueblo de Puerto Rico – que dice que, por ley Puerto Rico no puede
comparar precios para la mejor oferta de carga”.
Según Gutiérrez, el País cuenta con los recursos suficientes para sustentarse de alimentos.”Tenemos que
permitir que Puerto Rico pueda crear una economía
agrícola que permita que los puertorriqueños puedan
5
Support for
Puerto Rico Grows
In PA, Close to ten thousand people have signed a petition titled “Give Puerto Rico the ability to restructure its
debt and avoid a humanitarian crisis.” Please circulate to
friends, family and loved ones at:
http://bit.ly/pa4pr-moveon
In Windham, CT, the Town Council of the Town of Windham, Connecticut passed a resolution calling upon the
United States Congress and the President to be accountable. Connecticut has the 6th largest Puerto Rican population in the United States, after New York, New Jersey
and Florida.
Copies of the resolution will be delivered to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the
President of the United States Senate, and members of
Connecticut’s congressional delegation.
Community Activist
Betí Guevara
to be Honored
with
tran las leyes de Cabotaje, el sistema de salud, el potencial de desarrolló económico de la isla y la deuda
actual del gobierno, cuya cifra asciende a los $69 mil
millones en bonos.
“Liberen a Puerto Rico para que pueda resolver el
problema de su gran deuda sin estar esposada por el
Congreso, su distante y desatento amo colonial.Liberen a Puerto Rico para que sus hospitales puedan
permanecer abiertos para padres y madres enfermos
y sus escuelas permanezcan abiertas para los niños.
Nadie debe temer que su casa se queme porque los
bomberos no han sido pagados”, expresó el congresista.
Además, habló sobre la respuesta del Congreso a la
alimentarse”, abundó.
Sobre la junta de control fiscal aseguró que esta no
debería ser una opción para Washington. “Imagínate.
Una isla que no puede determinar su propio destino,
que tiene que jugar un juego económico con todas las
reglas amañadas en contra de ella – ¿cuál es la solución en Washington? Quitarle lo poco que le queda
de autonomía y añadir un nuevo nivel de control de
Washington sobre la colonia”, añadió.
Al final de su mensaje, el congresista recordó que
“los problemas de Puerto Rico tomaron mucho tiempo para crearse pero tengo absoluta confianza en la
capacidad del pueblo de Puerto Rico a resolverlos”.
Tomado de El Vocero.com – 02/11/2016
FEBRERO 2016
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
6
Carlos Claudio: A New Kind of Judge
Justice from the Community, for the Community
by la Voz staff
In 1992, the Illinois State
Legislature established the
Cook County Judicial Subcircuits. They were created
to ensure more diversity
on the bench by having
judges elected from the
different neighborhoods
in Chicago. One of those
subcircuits is the 6th, a diverse district with a large Latino presence that includes
the neighborhoods of Humboldt Park, Logan Square,
West Town, Hermosa and others. In this subcircuit, an
important race has caught the attention of many stakeholders.
Carlos Claudio, whose parents were born in Puerto
Rico, is the only Latino with a contested race in the 6th
subcircuit. He already has the support of the majority of Latino elected officials on Chicago’s North Side.
Endorsements include: Congressman Luis Gutierrez,
Senator Iris Martinez, Representative Luis Arroyo, Sr.,
Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr., Alderman
Roberto Maldonado, Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa,
Alderman Ariel Reboyras, Alderman Milly Santiago, and
Alderman Gilbert Villegas.
Carlos was born and raised on Chicago’s Northwest
side, in the Bucktown and Hermosa neighborhoods,
and graduated from Kelvyn Park High School. As an un-
dergraduate, Carlos first attended Wright College, one
of the City Colleges of Chicago, where he was elected
President of the Student Government Association. He
then transferred to DePaul University, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. At DePaul, Carlos was elected president of DePaul’s Alliance
for Latin American Empowerment, a student organization that highlighted the importance of diversity in
higher education and worked to provide assistance to
underserved communities. In addition, he, along with
other student activists, was instrumental in the formation of DePaul’s Latino Cultural Center.
He went on to earn his juris doctorate at DePaul University College of Law, where he received the Mayor’s
Leadership Scholarship and served as the Student Bar
Association’s Diversity Representative.
Carlos began his career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in one of the busiest courtrooms in Chicago, where
he prosecuted countless DUI cases and quickly rose to
become first chair, a title given to attorneys who are
in charge of their courtrooms. Later, in the State’s Attorney’s Juvenile Abuse and Neglect section, Carlos focused on ensuring the safety and security of children
who had been endangered by abusive or negligent parents or guardians.
While at the State’s Attorney’s Office, Carlos witnessed first hand the inequities facing so many families coping with the justice system in Cook County.
“Growing up I was always drawn to the legal profession.
I thought a courtroom was the great equalizer, the one
place where no matter what the circumstances, fairness
and accountability would always prevail. I believed justice was truly blind. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Too many times we see the inequities that exist in our
society manifest themselves in our judicial system,” said
Claudio.
Knowing that the judicial system was failing his and
other communities throughout Cook County, Carlos
decided to start his own private practice where he consistently took on pro bono work focused on both civil
and criminal matters.
Now he is running for judge with the same passion
and commitment that he has displayed throughout his
career. “Our community has always had to fight for justice. My race is an extension of that. I want to represent and give a voice to the countless people from our
neighborhood that feel disenchanted with our judicial
system. Because for far too long we have had to endure
with a heavy heart the injustice that happens around
us. That is why it is important that we elect judges that
transcend social biases and are willing to hold themselves to the highest standards while pursuing justice. It
is with those values as my guiding principles that I will
proudly represent my community,” said Claudio.
Carlos lives in Logan Square with his wife Marina, a
family physician in private practice on the north side,
and their 11-year-old daughter.
Johnny Tirado Remembered: “We Got This!”
by Jessie Fuentes, National Boricua Human Rights Network
As we all know Johnny was an artist, a good cook,
and quite comedic, but he was also an activist, educator, partner and father figure to many. Johnny always
challenged the people around the Puerto Rican Cultural Center to be better, to reflect and to not forget the
greater mission at hand. If you know anything about the
PRCC you know we love to get people right into the
work - Johnny genuinely cared about the development
of new activist and the development of our pedacito
de patria. Who remembers how stressed out we would
be during a Pancake/Waffle events? Johnny would
wave his spatula and say “We got this.” How can we forget Johnny’s fluffy pancakes; outside of wanting Oscar
to be free it is why people showed up.
I remember being in meetings with Johnny and learning the entire Nuestro Tambo album because he just
left rehearsal. His humming, tapping, singing and love
for life always made people around him appreciate the
work we were doing. His creativity as Michelle would
describe, came out of nowhere. He was a perfectionist,
he believed that everything we put out had to be our
best work and rightfully so. Johnny didn’t just do political work because he believed in the cause rather he
believed that a collective group of people can produce
REAL change when strategic, careful and thoughtful.
Johnny could convince you that you were capable
of doing anything because for him all that mattered is
what you wanted to do; if you liked it he loved it. Right
before Carlos Alberto’s release I remember clearly the
feeling of not knowing if we had won the battle, but
again Johnny would ensure you that “we got this.”
Johnny your presence, activism and support taught
us many things - how to appreciate the small victories,
how to be patient, how to love our comrades, and how
to work hard even when it feels like we have nothing
else to give. Your departure teaches us another lesson
– that the work we do matters because it is from this
work we have built a family, meaningful relationships
and a collective passion to work towards a more just
world.
On behalf of NBHRN, good bye for now companero!
FEBRERO 2016
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
7
CONGRATULATIONS
ROBERTO CLEMENTE
COMMUNITY ACADEMY
Roberto Clemente Community Academy has selected as one of UNIVISION’s
exceptional schools across the District to be highlighted through February.
Roberto Clemente Community Academy’s on-air mention will be on February 29, 2016 at 5 and 10pm.
8
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
FEBRUARY 2016
Towards the Creation of a
National Puerto Rican Agenda
Philadelphia, July 24 & 25, 2016
Puerto Rico is facing a serious fiscal and humanitarian crisis.
The Puerto Rican Diaspora must act by holding the US government responsible for addressing this unprecedented catastrophe. The 8.5 million Puerto Ricans who are US citizens must
call for immediate Presidential and congressional action. The
Puerto Rican National Agenda will meet in Philadelphia to discuss the following:
1. The $72 billion debt the Puerto Rican government faces
which it cannot pay;
2. Coordinate efforts to address the fiscal crisis in Puerto
Rico and hold the US government responsible;
3. Intensify the offensive to Free Oscar Lopez Rivera;
4. Promote and unify efforts for a Puerto Rican centered,
voter registration and education campaign;
5. Discussion on coordination of inside/outside efforts at
the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia
during July 25-28.
Congress should undertake the the following actions:
First, Congress must provide Puerto Rico with an orderly
restructuring regime to comprehensively address its financial liabilities by restructuring its debts.
Second, Congress needs to reform the Commonwealth’s
Medicaid program and ensure that the program provides better access to healthcare services.
Third, Congress should provide Puerto Rico with access to
the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a proven tool that
has bipartisan support for rewarding work and supporting growth.
If Congress and the President do not act soon this fiscal
and unfolding humanitarian crisis will become unmanageable.
These proposed actions are not the final solution; that will take
the sustained and concerted effort of different stakeholders,
but they can help mitigate this terrible crisis while other initiatives unfold.
Puerto Ricans have fought in every American war since World
War I even though they do not vote for their commander in
chief.  The 5.1 million Puerto Ricans who live in the 50 states
contribute to the life of the country every day, are actively engaged in support of Puerto Rico and will vote come Election
Day.
Additionally, across the entire of Puerto Rican political
thought, there is unanimity around the demand for Pres.
Obama to free Oscar López Rivera whose nearly 35 years of
imprisonment makes him the longest held politcial prisoner in
the history of US Latin America relationship.
Against the above backdrop, in the next few months, mobilizing activities will take place in major centers of Puerto Rican
concentration: Chicago, New York, Newark, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Orlando as well as in many other locations. The
purpose of these activities is to work on the development of
the articulation of a draft agenda that will be adopted at a national summit of the Puerto Rican Disapora to be held in Philadelphia to coincide with the Democratic National Convention.
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
FEBRERO 2016
and
Host Committee:
Fernando Grillo, Dr. Wanda Figueroa, José E. López
INVITE YOU
Charla/Forum
Cong. Luis V. Gutiérrez and
Chicago’s Puerto Rican elected officials* on:
• Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Crisis,
• Campaign to Free Oscar López Rivera,
• Creating a Puerto Rican Rican National Agenda
• Building towards the July 25-28, 2016
Democratic National Convention (Phila.)
Special presentation by Dr. Edwin Meléndez,
Director, Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College
FRI. MARCH 4, 2016, 7PM
ASPIRA BUSINESS AND FINANCE HIGH SCHOOL,
2989 N. MILWAUKEE AVE.
Sponsored by ASPIRA of IL and Puerto Rican Agenda
9
Puerto Rican Agenda hosts historic convening
to influence 2016 presidential election
Chicago, IL - On Friday, March 4, 2016,
the Puerto Rican Agenda and ASPIRA
will host a forum with Puerto Rican
elected officials on Puerto Rico’s current fiscal and humanitarian crisis. The
forum, to be held at ASPIRA Finance and
Business High School (2989 N. Milwaukee Ave.), will be headlined by Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez.
This event represents the first time
Puerto Rican elected leadership—along
with leaders of the local Puerto Rican
community—will publicly come together to discuss the following issues in the
context of the 2016 presidential election.
Forum issues to be addressed include:
1. Coordinating efforts to address the fiscal crisis in Puerto Rico by holding the United States government accountable;
2. Intensifying the offensive campaign to
free Oscar López Rivera;
3. Promoting and unifying efforts for an
aggressive campaign to increase registration
and improve education targeting Puerto Rican voters; and
4. Discussing coordination of inside/outside efforts during the Democratic National
Convention in Philadelphia, July 25-28, 2016.
In addition, the forum will feature a
brief presentation from Dr. Edwin Melendez, Director of Center for Puerto
Rican Studies at Hunter College in New
York City.
This community forum builds upon a
series of events organized to establish a
national Puerto Rican agenda. Previous
events were held in Orlando, Florida,
and Washington, D.C. during the last
quarter of 2015. The Chicago forum, and
similar events to be organized throughout the country, will culminate in a National Puerto Rican Diaspora Summit
coinciding with the 2016 Democratic
National Convention.
The more than five million Puerto Ricans living on the United States mainland can play a pivotal role in the 2016
presidential election. Puerto Ricans
now constitute a significant proportion
of the electorate in three swing states:
Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Furthermore, Puerto Rican voters in Florida,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois could
contribute to Democrats regaining control of the Senate.
Alcaldesa San Juan Carmen Yulin
dedica mosaico
en Parque Luis Muñoz Marin al Patriota Oscar López Rivera
10
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
FEBRUARY 2016
LA FAMILIA LÓPEZ RIVERA CELEBRA 75TO CUMPLEANÕS
MERCEDES LÓPEZ RIVERA
en San Sebastian, domingo 21 de abril 2016
Chicago Chapter, National Conference of Puerto Rican Women
Celebrating International Women’s Day
PUERTO RICO’S
HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS:
A WOMEN’S PERSPECTIVE
Guest Speaker from Puerto Rico
ATTORNEY WILMA REVERÓN
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, March 12, 2016 • 12:00 to 2:00 pm
Appetizers and Refreshments • Free admission
National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
3015 W. Division Street
Sponsored in part by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center
FEBRERO 2016
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
• us navy out of vieques
• freedom for all puerto rican political prisoners
• defend civil liberties and stop political repression
• build a national latino agenda
• fuera la marina de vieques
• libertad para los presos políticos boricuas
• a defender los derechos civiles y alto a la represión
política
• a construir una agenda nacional latina
11
MISSION/MISIÓN: The National Boricua
Human Rights Network is an organization
dedicated to defending the human rights of
the Puerto Rican community in the US.
La Red Nacional Boricua Pro-Derechos
Humanos es una organización dedicada
a defender los derechos humanos de la
comunidad puertorriqueña en los EEUU.
National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN) 2739-41 W. Division Street, Chicago IL 60622
February 2016/febrero de 2016 • [email protected] • www.boricuahumanrights.org • #free_olr • facebook.com/chi.nbhrn
Fundraiser for the NBHRN
Happy Birthday
Jessie Fuentes!
by Janeida Rivera, National Boricua Human Rights
Network
On February 6th, Jessie Fuentes celebrated her
26th Birthday and hosted a party to raise money for the campaign to free Puerto Rican Political
Prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera. Jessie Fuentes has
been an active member of the Campaign for over 5
years and will continue struggling for his freedom
until he is out. On February 6th many of Jessie’s
friends and family members donated $10 dollars
and signed a petition to free Oscar not because
they have the same political beliefs as Oscar rather
they care for Jessie and believe it is a just cause.
Working the campaign should be fun, it should be
a space in which we engage our families, friends,
and colleagues in a discussion that matters to us
and Jessie took the perfect moment to do so.
Please donate to National Boricua Human
Rights Network and help free a hero to all, a friend
to many, a family member to several, and a father
to one!
“...Y HOY AÑADO QUE UNA DE ESAS VIDAS ES LA DEL
PUERTORRIQUEÑO OSCAR LÓPEZ RIVERA, QUIEN HA UNIDO A
ESTE PUEBLO EN UN RECLAMO SOLIDARIO DE HUMANIDAD”
SUPREMO RECLAMO POR LA
EXCARCELACIÓN DE OSCAR LÓPEZ
por Agustín Criollo Oquero
Como parte de su mensaje de despedida a la presidenta del Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico, la jueza Liana
Fiol Matta, luego de que esta anunciara su retiro, el juez
asociado Luis F. Estrella Martínez no perdió tiempo en
llevar un reclamo para la excarcelación del prisionero
político Oscar López Rivera, quien extingue una sentencia de 70 años por conspiración contra el gobierno de los
Estados Unidos.
Estrella Martínez fue contundente en su reclamo, que
levantó el interés de los presentes, entre ellos el gobernador de Puerto Rico, Alejandro García Padilla y el secretario de Justicia, César Miranda.
“Aprovecho la última sesión de la Corte Fiol Matta para
compartir con ustedes que recientemente he abordado
en un artículo de revista el tema del restablecimiento de
las relaciones diplomáticas entre los Estados Unidos y
Cuba, y cómo el reclamo del respeto a los derechos humano tiene que fluir en ambas vías”, comenzó a exponer
el Juez Asociado.
“En lo pertinente a la exhortación formulada en la
pasada juramentación de la compañera, planteé en ese
artículo que las exigencias del Derecho Internacional
requieren que los Estados Unidos realice una seria introspección de sus acciones y omisiones en el ámbito
de los derechos humanos. En consecuencia, considero
que el reclamo dirigido a Cuba no puede ser unilateral
y visualizarse como una problemática aislada... los derechos humanos son necesarios en Cuba pero también
debieron reconocerse hace mucho tiempo en la base de
Guantánamo y en el propio sistema correccional federal,
cuyas consecuencias también tocan de cerca vidas puertorriqueñas y seres humanos de otras nacionalidades”,
continuó el juez.
Entonces, Estrella Martínez esbozó un reclamo directo por la liberación del preso político con más antigüedad en las cárceles estadounidenses.
“...y hoy añado que una de esas vidas es la del puertorriqueño Oscar López Rivera, quien ha unido a este pueblo en un reclamo solidario de humanidad”, concluyó para
darle paso a un estruendo de aplausos que inundó la Sala
de Sesiones del edificio del Tribunal Supremo en Puerta
de Tierra.
Este articulo originalmente aparecio en noticel.com
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
12
Ex-senadora se quita la ropa
por una causa meritoria
Por Primerahora.com
Velda González era parte del elenco de la obra
“Las chicas del calendario”
La exsenadora Velda González se quitó la ropa
como parte de una manifestación a favor de la excarcelación del prisionero político Oscar López Rivera, según la red social de la también actriz Camille
Carrión.
La también actriz de 82 años hizo el gesto durante la última presentación de la obra “Las chicas del
calendario”
en el Centro de Bellas Artes,
indicó
Carrión en
las redes,
quien es
una de las
actrices
que también participó de la
adaptación
teatral del
filme del
m i s m o
nombre
“Muchos
se preguntaban si Velda iba a “pelar pa’ bajo” en “Las chicas del
calendario”. Por fin lo hizo en la última función y,
como siempre, por una buena causa. BRAVO VELDA!!!!!”, expresó Carrión.
En 14 horas la imagen recibió más de 1,000 likes
y sobre un centenar de comentarios. Otra foto compartida por Carrión muestra a González en poca
ropa sobre el escenario de Bellas Artes también con
el mensaje.
González destacó en cine, teatro, y televisión antes
de llegar al Senado por el Partido Popular Democrático y llegó a ocupar la vicepresidencia del cuerpo. Fue
la principal gestora desde la legislatura de la Ley 54
contra la violencia doméstica.
López Rivera, de 73 años, lleva 34 años ingresado en las cárceles de Estados Unidos y cumple una
condena de 70 años tras ser convicto inicialmente de
sedición.
El reclamo por la excarcelación de López Rivera
ha unido a líderes de todos los partidos políticos del
país y numerosos esfuerzos para llamar la atención
del presidente Barack Obama.
FEBRUARY 2016
¿Por qué no liberan a
Oscar López Rivera?
por Gloria Ruiz Kuilan, El Nuevo Día
La pregunta resurge de cada cierto tiempo,
sobre todo, tras el indulto a Jeremy Ruiz.
La lucha por la excarcelación del preso
político, Oscar López Rivera, lleva más de
una década y pese a los múltiples reclamos
-nacionales e internacionales- en pos de su
liberación su salida de la cárcel estadounidense en la que se encuentra no se ha producido.
Un indulto del presidente Barack Obama
permitiría la excarcelación de López Rivera. Luego de que el lunes el gobernador Alejandro García Padilla le concediera un indulto al joven Jeremy Ruiz Tomassini, la pregunta vuelve a surgir: ¿Por qué Oscar
López no ha sido liberado?
“Se trata de un caso complejo. Es un caso que tiene repercusiones internacionales y están involucradas
las relaciones entre Puerto Rico y Estados Unidos. El presidente escoge el momento más preciso para
él, su país y su partido. El caso de Oscar es un caso complejo”, dijo el portavoz del Comité Pro Derechos
Humanos de Puerto Rico, Eduardo “Tuto” Villanueva.
“Seguimos sumando esfuerzos. Haciendo gestiones con diversos países, amigos. (Pero) Obama es el
que sabe cuándo es el momento (para liberar a López Rivera) porque tiene el poder del indulto”, agregó.
Indicó que hay personas que piensan que la liberación del preso político, que ya tiene 72 años, recae
meramente en el apoyo masivo que reciba una petición de esa naturaleza.
“Y no es así. No miran que él (Obama) actúa cuando sea conveniente”, indicó Villanueva, quien fuera
presidente del Colegio de Abogados.
“Cuba lleva años consiguiendo en Naciones Unidas que se vote contra el bloqueo 189 a 3 y sigue Obama
con el bloqueo. Solo ha reestablecido las relaciones diplomáticas. De eso se trata”, afirmó el abogado, El
embargo comercial impuesto a Cuba comenzó en 1962,
Villanueva reconoció que la no excarcelación de López Rivera genera algún tipo de desánimo entre
quienes impulsan su excarcelación. Incluso, reconoció que hay quienes piensan que la excarcelación no
se ha producido porque no se ha hecho lo suficiente.
“Me duele mucho que se piense eso”, dijo.
Desde 2011, López Rivera sometió su petición de clemencia a Obama, después de que la Comisión de
Libertad Bajo Palabra le denegara la posibilidad de ser excarcelado a corto plazo. Bajo los procesos rutinarios, la liberación de López Rivera no ocurriría hasta junio de 2023, cuando tendría 80 años.
López Rivera lleva 34 años en una cárcel federal, más que ningún otro prisionero político en la historia
de Puerto Rico. Durante su encierro, López Rivera ha estado 12 años en aislamiento total. Fue sentenciado a 70 años de cárcel por cargos de conspiración sediciosa debido a sus vínculos con las Fuerzas
Armadas de Liberación Nacional, grupo clandestino de lucha por la independencia de la Isla. Por años,
organizaciones comunitarias como el Comité Pro Derechos Humanos de Puerto Rico y figuras públicas
han clamado por la libertad de López Rivera.
“Si no fuera porque Oscar tiene una conciencia clara de los ideales que representa, a él mismo se le
haría extremadamente difícil (estar en prisión). Lo alienta saber que tiene el apoyo de su pueblo y saber
que está luchando por un ideal justo”, puntualizó Villanueva.
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
E ola, e ola, e ola nā kini e!*
Kekuni Blaisdell
13
FEBRERO 2016
by L. Alejandro Molina, National Boricua Human Rights Network
The National Boricua Human Rights Network
and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center extend
their deepest condolences on the passing of Dr.
Richard “Kekuni” Blaisdell, exemplary educator,
historian and visionary activist in the struggle
for Hawaiian Independence.
I was privileged to coordinate Ka Ho’okolokolonui Kānaka Maoli - Peoples’ International Tribunal Hawai’i 1993 of which Dr. Richard “Kekuni”
Blaisdell was the convenor. He later visited
Above: left to right: Angel Santos (deceased) (Chamoru), GUAM, Dr.
Chicago with a contingent of Kanaka Maoli (in- Caroline Sinavaiana (American Samoa), and Dr. Richard “Kekuni”
digenous Hawaians), which were the Honorary Blaisell at the 1994 Puerto Rican Peoples Parade.
Marshals in the 1994 Peoples Parade. Over the
course of twelve days in August 1993, the United States and the state of Hawai’i were put on trial for crimes
against the original people of Hawai’i, the Kānaka Maoli, by the People’s International Tribunal Hawai’i. This
panel of international judges was convened to hear charges of genocide, ethnocide, the taking of the Hawaiian
sovereign government and the destruction of its environment.
Kekuni was deeply committed to the struggle of the Puerto Rican people for independence and in support
of freedom for Puerto Rican political prisoners.
Kekuni was an unforgettable man who strove
to meet his historical responsibility at an extraordinary moment in the struggle for Hawaiian independence- the centennial commemoration of the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani and
the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1993. We first met at
the 1992 International Tribunal of Indigenous
Peoples and Oppressed Nations in San Francisco entitled “USA on Trial”, as part of the resistance against the quincentennial celebrations of
the Columbian Expedition. During the Tribunal, Above, Members of the 1998 group, top left to right: Irma Romero
the representatives of the Hawaiian Sovereignty (deceased) Sammy Toineeta (Lakota), Angel Santos (deceased) GUAM,
Movement testified before a panel of interna- Lourdes Lugo (Chicago), Rev. Dr. Nozomi Ikuta (UCC) bottom row:
tional jurists on their struggles- culturally, en- Sonia Rivera (Chicago), Dr. Caroline Sinavaiana (American Samoa), Dr.
Deborah Santana (Puerto Rico), L. Alejandro Molina (Chicago) Nalani
vironmentally and and politically. The Tribunal Baisdell (Hawaii) and representatives of the Philippines. Circa June 1994
also heard from other freedom struggles in the
US, in particular the Puerto Rican. We developed a long and fruitful relationship based on solidarity, helping
the Hawaiian contingent at the 1993 UN Human Rights Conference in Vienna, Austria, and then helping to
coordinate the Peoples International Tribunal. Along the way, we began to discuss the possibility of uniting
representatives of the island/nations invaded by the US in 1898. Several meetings of the “1998 Working Group”
took place in Chicago and Hawaii, and a possible book was planned, but events, capacity and priorities changed
and so did our collective plans. *All Hawai’i Stand Together
Can Bread And Puppet’s
Play Get Obama To
Pardon A Jailed
Puerto Rican Activist?
by Greg Cook, 90.9WBUR
When Vermont’s Bread and Puppet Theater
brought its show “The Seditious Conspiracy
Theater Presents: A Monument to the Political
Prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera” to New York’s
Theater for the New City last December, a
woman arrived at the opening night with a
letter from López Rivera himself and read it
aloud to the crowd before the show.
“I would like to thank the members of the
Bread and Puppet Theater for its solidarity
with the campaign for my excarceration,” Lopez Rivera wrote. “I’m extremely grateful for
the support you’re giving me and for all the
support you have given to just and noble causes. … Puerto Ricans, who have struggled for
the independence and sovereignty of our beloved homeland, have a good appreciation of
how important compassion and solidarity are
to keep the spirits strong and hopes alive especially when we have had to face oppression,
criminalization and imprisonment. I believe
no one should accept colonialism no matter
where it exists or who practices it, because it’s
a crime against humanity.”
“We weren’t anticipating it,” puppeteer Joe
Therrien says. “That was incredible. We were
all just backstage. … It felt really personal to
me.”
Bread and Puppet Theater, which was
founded by Peter Schumann in New York in
1963, is known for its tradition of distributing fresh baked bread free to audiences at the
end of performances; its monumental, mythic
papier-mâché puppets; and its participation in
street protests against the Vietnam War, nuCont. next page
14
clear weapons, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, American torture. The company was also one of the landmark
New York experimental theaters of the 1960s—and
continues to elaborate its signature blend of vanguard
performance, expressionist dance and folk pageantry.
“Peter has said the point [of this show] is to bring
enough attention to it that [President] Obama will pardon him before he gets out of office,” Therrien says. “We
didn’t expect to hear from him [López Rivera].”
Bread and Puppet has long critiqued the problems
of the world. But often the issues can seem big and abstract, impenetrable or far away. So the shows become
as much about inspiring people not to give up hope as
they are about protest. But the Oscar Lopez Rivera show
has more specific, concrete, immediate aims. Could this
play—which the company will perform at Massachusetts College of Art and Design’s Tower Auditorium in
Boston at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Feb.
17 to 20, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21—actually help win
a presidential pardon for Lopez Rivera?
“Because of the urgency to get these things to the staff
of Obama, because he can grant clemency, we wanted
to push the issue as well as can be done,” Schumann
says. Then he quips, “And because presidents usually do
exactly what puppeteers tell them to, we have a chance
here.” More seriously, he adds, “If the public gets excited about an issue that makes a huge difference.”
Bread and Puppet Theater performs “The Seditious
Conspiracy Theater Presents: A Monument to the Political Prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera” in Glover, Vermont,
in August 2015. (Greg Cook/WBUR)
Bread and Puppet Theater performs “The Seditious
Conspiracy Theater Presents: A Monument to the Political Prisoner Oscar López Rivera” in Glover, Vermont,
in August 2015. (Greg Cook/WBUR)
Oscar López Rivera is a Vietnam veteran who became
a housing activist and a founder of a Latino cultural
center in Chicago. But he was also part of the Puerto
Rican independence group FALN, a Spanish acronym
for Armed Forces of National Liberation, which claimed
credit for bombings in the 1970s and ‘80s, mainly in
New York, Chicago, Washington and Puerto Rico. Pri-
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
marily the group seems to have attacked unpopulated
buildings, but some of their blasts allegedly killed a
handful of people and injured dozens.
Lopez Rivera was convicted in 1981 not of any specific bombings, but for seditious conspiracy—plotting
to overthrow the United States government in Puerto
Rico—as well as armed robbery and other charges. Sentenced to more than five decades in prison, his sentence
was extended in the late ’80s for plotting an escape.
President Bill Clinton offered to reduce his sentence
in 1999, but Lopez Rivera
turned it down, reportedly
because not all the group’s
imprisoned members were
offered clemency. Opponents of his release allege
that he turned down the
offer because he would
have been required to renounce violence. Of the
more than a dozen members of the group convicted in the early 1980s,
he’s the last still in prison.
Bread and Puppet’s show
arrives as part of a growing movement calling for his
release.
“He went to prison not for what he did, but for what
he preached,” Schumann says. “That is a clear cut case of
political imprisonment.”
Bread and Puppet’s relationship with the Puerto Rican community goes back to nearly the theater’s beginnings in New York. “One of the first big parades with
very large puppets was a Puerto Rican Day parade and
it was for voter registration,” Schumann says.
One of the theater’s landmark early shows, “A Man
Says Goodbye to his Mother” from 1965 or ’66, was inspired by the damage of the Vietnam War to New York’s
Puerto Rican community. Schumann says, “There was
a group of Puerto Rican mothers who had made something like a club because they had all received the same
letter, which began, ‘We regret to inform you…’ Which
meant their sons had been killed in Vietnam.”
In that show, a soldier goes abroad to bomb his enemy, ultimately killing a child, then is killed himself by
the child’s mother in revenge. His body gets sent back
home to his own mother. It feels like one of those Greek
tragedies in which killing is an inevitable, unbreakable
cycle.
Last winter, Schumann was encouraged to create
a show about Lopez Rivera by Rosa Luisa Márquez, a
theater professor at the University of Puerto Rico in
San Juan, who for three decades has been a conduit for
Puerto Ricans to perform with the company.
“It was only logical that, knowing Bread and Puppet’s
commitment to social justice and freedom, evident in
many shows about individual and collective injustice,”
FEBRUARY 2016
Márquez tells me via email, “they should take into account the life of Oscar Lopez Rivera and his quest for
the freedom for Puerto Rico and our collective struggle to help ex-carcelate him from such an extraordinary
sentence for imagining a better world, for ‘conspiring
seditiously’ against a colonial power such as the U.S.A.
and its total control over Puerto Rico.”
“It’s a big issue in Puerto Rico,” Schumann says. “The
right and the left are all pleading with Obama to set this
man free.”
Bread and Puppet Theater performs “The Seditious
Conspiracy Theater Presents: A Monument to the Political Prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera” in Glover, Vermont,
in August 2015. (Greg Cook/WBUR)
Bread and Puppet Theater performs “The Seditious
Conspiracy Theater Presents: A Monument to the Political Prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera” in Glover, Vermont,
in August 2015. (Greg Cook/WBUR)
Rehearsals for “The Seditious Conspiracy Theater
Presents: A Monument to the Political Prisoner Oscar
Lopez Rivera” began a year ago with a few performers
at the company’s home on a farm in Glover, Vermont.
It started as a small clown show, but the production—
and cast—grew during the theater’s summer internship program into something monumental and dark.
In Boston, it will be performed by a small core group
of traveling puppeteers augmented by local volunteers.
The play is an indictment of American imperialism—in Puerto Rico as well as in its wars abroad. As
Schumann puts it: “This total fake democracy here that
pretends to spread peace and harmony by spreading as
much war as possible.”
The show includes a version of “Man Says Goodbye…”
as well as modern dance, giant puppets, poetic and didactic monologues, cruel clowns, mournful ruminations on war, and stark confrontations with the realities
of prison. It is not a linear drama, but a series of actions
and vignettes. There are striking symbolic images, for
example in a prison scene performers sit under a single, bare light blub facing a gray painting of a cell. One
by one, they run headlong into the picture and crumple
to the ground. “He was in solitary confinement for 12
years,” Schumann says, “which is deemed by most people to be a form of torture.”
“Peter responded to the life of Puerto Rico’s Mandela, who’s been in jail for 35 years as he has responded
to other important social and political issues that are
the essence of his work,” Márquez writes. “The U.S.
audience is left with the strong visual image of a man
unjustly imprisoned and tortured by the country that
prides itself of being the overseer of justice and peace in
the world. If theater can make people aware of that, and
if by chance, President Obama, the only person that can
overturn his sentence, can be made aware of his pardon, then theater has accomplished a concrete goal. In
the meantime, more people are made aware of this injustice through the profound power of art.”
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
FEBRERO 2016
Presentación:
El Canto
del Baramaya
por Aracelis Flecha Figueroa
y recepción en apoyo
Fundación Nancy Maldonado
Viernes, 18 de marzo
Humble Bar, 3018 W North Av
6:30pm recepción; 7:00pm presentación libro
$50 donación incluye: comida & libro
2 boletos para bebidas
(bebidas alcohólicas/cerveza doméstica)
15
Reseña Libro: El Canto del Baramaya
por Cristian Roldán
Ambientado en el siglo XIX, El Canto del
Baramaya es un relato
romántico, rico en
expresiones lingüisticas y culturales del
Puerto Rico del ayer
y hoy. En una lectura
donde se puede sentir las inflexiones del
habla cotidiano, la
autora constracta de
manera genial las diferencias entre hacendados y peones con suma originalidad en los
dialogos de sus personajes; tanto así como
sus costumbres de antaño, la idealización de
las tradiciones españolas por la clase alta,
estatus de los decendientes de esclavos y el
sublimar del indio taíno. El texto abré la
imaginación a la vida diaria en un país aún
dependiente, tanto en condiciones políticas
como sociales de la España.
El Canto del Baramaya enfatiza las
personalidades y condiciones económicas del
hacendado, el jíbaro y los peones, tanto así
como la inmigración a Puerto Rico desde España. Es una historia romántica protagonizada por un inmigrante, Rodrígo y la hija de
un hacendado, Angela donde se va desarrollando una narración llena un peculiaridades
y detallles tanto de la época como de la
costumbres de nuestros antepasados puertorriqueños de tal manera que atrapa al lector
en la realidad del barrio Portugués y la vida
cotidiana a la ribera del río Baramaya.
A New Future, a New Vision,
a World Class Education in our Community:
Our Community as a Campus Slate is helping us get there
Roberto Clemente
Community Academy
Local School Council
Elections (LSC)
1147 N. Western Ave.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
6am-6pm
2 forms of ID needed to vote
CAAC Slate
Arlene Torres, parent
Bridget Garcia, parent
Judy Vázquez, parent
Maritza Torres, parent
Maria Rosa Chico, parent
Myriam Manzo, parent
Leonilda Calderón, community
L. Alejandro Molina, community
16
{LA VOZ DEL PASEO BORICUA}
FEBRUARY 2016
DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT
EL RESCATE
BASIC CENTER YET?
by Ray Arroyo, Program Coordinator
invites you to our
Open House
100x35+8 Birthday Celebration
of the
NATIONAL POET OF PUERTO RICO
JUAN ANTONIO CORRETJER
Thursday, March 3, 2016
The Puerto Rican Cultural Center is proud
to introduce one of its newest program initiatives: The El Rescate Basic Center Program.
This new program represents an expansion
of our existing El Rescate umbrella services
aimed at homeless youth. The Basic Center
focuses on serving Latino and African American LGBTQ youth who are 12 to 18 years of
age and helps connect them with temporary shelter*, health insurance coverage, educational and vocational opportunities, job
readiness, social and relational skills, mental
health resources, and recreational programming. All of our services are confidential
and youth oriented and focused.
3-3:15pm Starting point at El Rescate, 2703 W. Division St. (Please bring a donation of personal toiletries, school supplies or laundry items)
3:15-3:45pm Unveiling of portrait by Oscar López
Rivera of Dr. Steve Whitman at the Greenhouse at
Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School,
2739 W. Division St.
3:50-4:10pm Launching of Healthy Canasta-Fresh
Produce initiative (12lb bag of fresh produce for
$10), Diabetes Empowerment Center,
2753 W. Division St.
4:15-6:30pm Presentation by Urban Theater of
“Adoration of the Old Woman”, Batey Urbano,
2620 W. Division St. (A light dinner will be served)
RSVP Viola Salgado 773-394-4935
El Rescate Basic Center provides case management services and works with qualifying
youth for housing and long-term support
so they may thrive and succeed in their life
paths. Our bilingual team is there to facilitate programs that will help youth explore
their options, develop needed self-care
skills and activate their potential and creativity through the freedom of expression
and within an accepting, understanding, and
supportive environment. El Rescate Basic
Center proudly operates out of the historical Humboldt Park community reaching out
to youth throughout the Chicagoland area.
If you or anyone you know is in need
of our services, or to learn more about us
please call (872) 829-2654.